God has been revealing to me more the beauty of Christian community. This had been my constant prayer over the last few months of 2025—a desire that grew even stronger while reading through the book of Acts.
This year, we have witnessed firsthand the beauty of doing life together: being challenged, getting to know others on a deeper personal level, carrying each other’s burdens through prayer, breaking bread, and remaining devoted to sound teaching. I’ve been reflecting on what it means to intentionally gather, to meet consistently, and to build relationships with people who are different from us. It is about doing life and growing in faith side by side.
Reading about the first-century church—their devotion to fellowship, sharing in the apostles’ teaching, and experiencing God’s continuous strength—made me realize how easily intentional community can be pushed aside when the busyness of life takes over. Yet, now more than ever, we need to draw near, encourage one another, and build each other up in our walk of faith. We were never meant to do life alone.
“And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.”— Hebrews 10:25 (NLT)
Lessons from the 1st Century Church
1. Strengthened Together
“Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.”— Acts 9:31 (NIV)
2. Devoted Together
“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”— Acts 2:42 (NIV)
3. Unified & Generous Together
“All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had.”— Acts 4:32 (NIV)
“With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.”— Acts 4:33–35 (NIV)
